There are always two especially thronged places in Euston. There’s the station and there’s the Bree Louise Pub.

The Venue
The Bree Louise is on Coburg Street, hidden away north of Euston Road. Yet it’s much sought-out and invariably full of buzz and contented customers.

Physically it’s ordinary on the outside and average inside. The décor is routine and the tables and chairs are a jumble of different types. There’s nothing going for it but the exceptional atmosphere and drinks.

The Atmosphere
The cheerful conviviality of the Bree Louise arises from people enjoying their drinks and food, and the resultant amiable chat and conversation. And there are no machines, music or TV to intrude upon this conviviality.

What contributes to the cheerfulness is the mix of people. It’s a destination for Campaign For Real Ale members, local office staff pop in at lunchtime and it gets a good quota of commuters in the early evening. It’s also favoured by University College of London students, nurses and members of the Armed Forces. Like CAMRA members, these three groups get a 50p reduction on the price of pints and £2 off pies – normally £8.

Yet another group getting the discounts are football fans who are members of official supporters’ clubs. Euston receives plenty of fans from the North West and West Midlands clubs and, in addition, London-based fans call in before and after away trips. These fans belie the hooligan allegation. There’s never hassle. Even the ribbing between different teams is good-natured. Service is pleasantly efficient.

The Food
The prize items in the menu are pies - steak and ale, minted lamb, haggis and three cheeses among them. Served with chips or mash, they are hugely popular. The rest of the choice is standard but make a perfectly good accompaniment to drinks. Steak, sausage and mash, fish and chips and pasta meals are among the dishes regularly listed.

The Drink
The Bree Louise offers an ever-changing kaleidoscope of real ales. One side of the bar has five hand pumps and the other side has 11 beers.

The turnover of these beers is so rapid that no one day’s choice is like another. Small breweries and micro-breweries are favoured. London breweries such as Redemption and Sambrook’s regularly feature. Joining them are CAMRA award-winning producers like Dark Star, Downton, Hog’s Back and Oakham. It's their policy to always have two dark beers from a mild, a stout or a porter available. Unsurprisingly the Bree Louise has been voted by the discerning drinkers of CAMRA as its North London Pub of the Year.

A unique feature for central London is the range of 12 craft ciders. All are notable with prized products such as those from Gwatkin, Gwynt Y Ddraig and Millwhite.

There are several lagers, most notably Freedom Organic Lager. From near the renowned centre of British brewing, Burton-on-Trent, this lager has lengthy 50-day maturation. The result matches the classic Czech brews.

Bree Louise’s whiskies are also highly-regarded. It stocks 50 malts and the greatest of all blended Scotch tipples, the Johnnie Walker Blue Label. It costs £8 a measure though!

Wines it must be conceded are average but adequate.

The Last Word
Thousands of thronging customers can’t be wrong. The Bree Louise is perennially busy because of its superb drinks range and its ability to appeal to so many different groups of people. Go there to relax and quaff happily.

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